NAACP-Supported Sudan Divestment Bill to Come Before Full House as Early as this monday, 7/30

Bill would Support Divestment by
States and Companiesfrom Corporations
that Help Fund Genocide inDarfur

THE ISSUE:

According to recent estimates, at least 400,000 people have died
in Darfur since the genocide began in February of 2003. It is
impossible to know what the final number will be, however, as the
genocide is still taking place today. What is known is that
there are approximately 3.5 million men, women and children in the
western Darfur region of Sudan trying to survive the Sudanese
government-sponsored campaign of violence and forced
starvation. These innocent victims are essentially on life
support, their continued existence dependent on U.S. and
international humanitarian aid and the presence of African Union
peacekeepers. Despite the best efforts of the under-funded
and under-manned African Union peacekeeping force, attacks have
increased in recent months, leading to tens of thousands of new
arrivals at refugee camps in Darfur and across the border in
Chad.

To begin to address this problem, Congresswoman Barbara Lee
(CA), working with Congressman Barney Frank (MA) and others has
introduced H.R. 180 the DarfurAccountability and
Divestment Act of 2007. This legislation will be
considered by the fullUSHouse
of Representatives as early as Monday, July 30.
Under this legislation companies, states or persons with direct
investments in Sudan would be required to disclose these investment
activities to the federal government. This list of companies
would then be regularly updated and published in a forum available
to the general public. These investments provide financial
support to the Government of Sudan, which uses the monies earned to
fund military operation. Through identifying the connections
between investments in Sudan and the crisis in Darfur, companies
and persons will be encouraged to divest from Sudan.

Divestment is a proven tool in struggles against inhumane
governments: Americans’ divestment was a major contributor to
bringing down the racist apartheid regime in South Africa in the
1980’s, when people, municipalities (including the federal
government) and corporations pulled billions of dollars out of that
country rather than make money off of a government that supported
slavery.

THE MESSAGE:

The United States must use all available means, diplomatic and
financial, to ensure that the crisis in Darfur comes to an
end.

The United States must recognize the role that financial
investments play in the crisis in Darfur and must encourage
divestment.

The scale of the atrocity in Darfur can be compared to any
genocide in global history. Every conscionable citizen of any
country has an obligation to ensure that it comes to an immediate
end.

THE ACTION WE NEED YOU TO
TAKE:

Contact your Representative and Urge him / her to
supportSudandivestment
legislation, H.R. 180, when it comes to the House floor. To contact your Representative you
may:

Make a Phone Call:
Call your Representative in Washington by dialing the Capitol
Switchboard and asking to be transferred to his / her office.
The switchboard phone number is (202)
224-3121

Send a Fax If you would like to
send a fax, call your Representative’s office (through the Capitol
switchboard) and ask for his or her fax number (you can use either
the attached sample letter or the message box, below).

Send an E-Mail To send an e-mail to
your Representative, go to www.house.gov, and click on “Write
Your Representative” (on the left hand side, just under “find
your Representative). This will help you identify who your
congressman is and how to contact him/her. Unfortunately, not all Members of Congress have e-mail
addresses.